Garter and method of making same



1940- G. s. VAN VOORHIS 3 GARTER AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Aug. 10, 1938 ATTORN EY.

Patented Dec. 3, 1940 Price GARTER AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME George S. Van Voorhis, Easthampton, Mass., assignor to United Elastic Corporation, Easthampton, Mesa, a corporation of Massachusetts Application August 10,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to garters of the general type in which a hose supporting or gripping device is suspended from or carried by a strip of webbing.

Garter structures of this type worn by men usually include a band of elastic webbing, a hose supporter and a pad or similar element stitched to the band and also secured in some appropriate manner to the supporter to connect these two members permanently together. A

womans garter usually consists simply of a straight strip of elastic webbing with a garter clasp secured. to one end of it. A serious objection to garters of this general type is that the operation of stitching through the elastic web is very likely to cut one or more of the rubber threads on which the elasticity of the web depends. When this occurs and a working tension subsequently is applied to the web, one or both ends of the cut thread draw back into the weave of the goods and thus produces an unsightly pucker in'the fabric. Even if a rubber thread is merely nicked by the needle of the sewing ma-' chine but is not completely severed, the subsequent tension to which it is subjected is very likely to break the thread and thus produce the same result.

The present invention is especially concerned with these considerations. It aims to improve garters and methods of making them with a view to avoiding any necessity for sewing, and con-. sequently eliminating the difficulties above mentioned.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following descrlptionwhen read in connection with the accompanying drawing, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a garter constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse, sectional view through the portion of the garter at and adjacent to the joint between the ends of the web;

Fig. 3 is a vertical, sectional view through the hose supporter showing the manner in which it is united with the elastic band;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional view of another form which the, invention may take;

Fig, 5 is a front elevation showing the invention embodied in a garter of the type used on womens hosiery;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the blank for the clasp shown in Fig. 5; and

1938, Serial no. 224,039

Fig. is a. similar view showing a slightly different form of hose supporting device.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the garter there shown comprises a strip of elastic webbing 2 adapted to encircle the wearer's leg and having itsends 33 brought together in substantially abutting relationship to form a band. According to the present invention a strip of thermo-plastic sheet material is folded over'the band at and adjacent to said ends where it preferably covers both the inner and outer surfaces of the Joint, as shown at 4 and 5. and it is permanently secured to them by a thermo-adhesive union. Preferably the lower end portion of this same strip is shaped to provide a hose gripping device or clasp 6 of a common form. There may also be associated with it the usual button I made of rubber or any other suitable material, this buttonbeing mounted on a strip of fabric 8, or the like. In this case the upper end of the strip 8 is inserted under the lower end of the part 5 and is also secured in place by a thermo-adhesive union with the supporter 6.

According to the preferred method of manufacture, a strip of elastic webbing of suitable character is cut into the desired lengths and the strips of thermo-plastic material are died out of sheet stock, the parts 4, '5 and 6 preferably being made in a single integral piece. The operator takes one-of the sections of webbing, brings the ends of it together in approximately abutting relationship upon the surface of the section 4 of the strip, folds the section 5 over upon the inner surface of the web, inserts the upper edge of the fabric strip 8 between the web and the part 5, and then presses these assembled parts together between heated dies; This may either be done by hand or in a small press. The heat of the dies penetrates the therrno-plastlc stock readily, softens it suiliciently to make its surfaces adhesive, and the pressure applied through the dies forces the softened stock into meshes of the fabric, and molds the stock to it. If desired, a design of any suitable form may be molded into either or both of the exposed surfaces of the parts 4 and 5 at the'same time. In either event a secure union of the supporter to the band 2 is produced, both because of the adhesion of the softened stock to the fabric and also due to the mechanical interlocking of the molded material with the weave of the goods.

When the pressure of the dies has been relieved and the work removed from them, the molded material quickly hardens, and the manufacturing operations are then complete.

a t this'methodl avoids rt some i 3 er of injuring the rubber threads, it

sequent 1 produces a turdy and serviceable garter conthe use of solvents.

' are all suitable.

structiom and lends itself conveniently to a wide variety of ornamentation. 'An important feature of this methodalso is that it does not require This is an important ad vantage from a manufacturing standpoint because solvents usually are either toxic, are high- 1y 1. am ble, or' are objectionable for other reasons.

If the merino-plastic sheet material is too brittle to permit the bending operation above described, it may be subjected to'a preheating operation which will make it sufficiently plastic for this purpose. In fact, such preheating may be carried to such a point that the surfaces which are to come in contact with the elastic webbing will be rendered soft and sticky before the strip is assembled with the web. 7 For some purposes it may be satisfactory to do away with the part 8 of the holder which lies at the inner surface of the band, and such an arrangement is'illustrated in Fig. e. construction also has the. advantage of eliminating the necessity of the bending or folding of the strip over the inner surface of the band. Such a supporter construction as that shown'in Figs. 1 and 3 may still be used, the upper edge of the web 8 being inserted between the parts 2' and 4'; and secured there during the heating and pressing operation, or the'web d and button i may be omitted, the hosegripping element of the supporter beingmade of a common form, somewhat as shown at 8' in Fig. 4.

' A considerable, variety of theme-plastic compositions may be 'used for this purpose. Cellulose acetate compounds. urea formaldehyde mixtures, those made essentially of phenol form..- dehyde vand synthetic resins, such as vinyl resin, Some of these, particularly the cellulose acetate compounds, are. obtainable in a variety of colors. Other thermo-plastics are available, however, which can be used satisfactoriiy.

' Figs. in the type of garter used by women.

garter includes a strip of elastic webbing Such a l with -a hose supporter secured to the lower end of it,

the upper end of-the web being fastened to the corset, garter belt, or the like. Here the hose supporter comprises a clasp shown in Fig. 1 at 8, made of some thermo-ad- .hesive composition, such as those above described,

andsecured to the lower end of the web it by a theme-plastic union made in the'manner above referred to. Preferably. also, the strip B2 of webbing carrying the rubber button i3 is secured to the clasp II in the same manner. If desired, the part maybe made in the manner shown in Fig.6, including a tab II and a slot lid so that the strip of webbing l0 may be inserted through this slot and its end positioned upon the rear face of the upper part of the clasp. The upper .end of the strip I! may be similarly positioned on this part with the ends of these two webs in overlapping relationship and the tab 14 may then be folded down upon them. This assembly may then beplaced between heated dies which soften the stock and niold it into the goods exactly as in the manner above described in'connection with Figs. 1, 2 and 3. 7

Also, if desired, the clasp may be made of the .form shown at I! in Fig. 7. in this modifica- 5 and 6 show the invention embodied ii, similar to that v ssasose tion the tab ii carrying the buttonit is iscuredto the back of the clasp by a thermoadhesive union, as above described, the difference between this construction and that shown in Fig. 5 being that this clasp is provided with a 5 slot 39 through which -a strip of webbing maybe fastened in the usual manner when that is desired forany reason as, for example. to facilitate the adjustment of the length of the garter.

Bush a construction as that shown in Figs. 1 10 to 5, inclusive. isparticularly valuable in securing the rubber ads against pulling back into the webbing. in other words, it is a simple natter' to mold or press the heated and plastic stock that it also adheres strongly to the rubbe threads. .A much firmer union with the goods' i 's" 12 0 obtained in this manner than I have been able to produce through the use of solvents and the I process may be performed more rapidly. More'- over, it lends itself to much variety in ornamentation and the like since the moulding operation may be utilized to shape the material to appropriate designs and patterns, to apply the maker's trade-mark, andthelike.

Whilel have herein shown and described typical embodiments of my, invention, it will .be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from thespirit or scope thereof.

Havingthus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is:

1. That improvement in methods of making garters comprising the steps-of assembling a strip of elastic webbing and a hose gripping device made of thermo-plastic material with the ends of said strip positioned approximately in abuto0 ting relationship to each other upon the surface of said supporter, folding an integral portion of said device over the opposite face of said strip, heating the portions of said device in contact with the strip sufliciently to make them-plastic, while they are in a plastic and adhesive condition pressing them upon'the strip and thereby; molding thethermo-plastic stock into the material of the webbing, and shaping the molded stock to itsflnal form, and subsequently allowing the 60 material so molded to cool and harden.

2. That improvement in methods of making garters comprising the steps of assembling a strip of elastic webbing and a hose gripping device made ofthermo-plastic material with the ends of said strip positioned approximately in abutting relationship to each other upon the surface of said device, heating said device sufficiently to make the material thereof plastic, and pressing the end portions of said web into said material while it is in a plastic conditionand thereby uniting the band permanently to the device.

3. A garter bing having its ends approximately abutted to gather to form a band adapted to encircle the wearer's leg, and a hose gripping device, of thermo-plastic material having an extensionmolded to'said band and covering at least one face of the end portions of said band at opposite sides of the joint between said ends,.said extension being united to said end portions of the band by thermo-adhesive propertiesof the device itself.

4. A garter comprising a strip of elastic webcomprising a strip of elastic web-, a 4

bing having its ends approximately abutted together to form a band adapted to encircle the wearer's leg, a hose supporting member of thermo-plastic material having an extension molded to-said band and covering at least one face of the end portions of said band at opposite sides of the Joint between said ends, said extension being united to said end portions or the band by thermo-adhesive properties 0! the member itself, a button cooperating with said member to grip the stocking, and a strip of webbing supporting said button, said last mentioned strip of webbing being secured to said member by said thermo-adhesive properties. I

GEORGE 8. VAN VOORHIB. 

